Automatic current cut-off for electric appliances.



U. s. SMITH. AUTOMATIC CURRENT CUT-OFF FOR ELECTRIC APPLIKNCES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31,1913. 1

Patented June 30, 191%.

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IN VEN TOR.

WI "FN ESSES w M S R m s. w L E s s Y Y. 1W w /d UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

ULYSSES S. SMITH, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A. C.

' KAUFMAN, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC CURRENT CUT-OFF FOR ELECTRIC APPLIANCES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 31, 1913.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Serial No. 782,368.

To (7Z7, whom it may concern Be it known that I, ULYssns S. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, in the county of. Sacramento State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Current Cut-Otis for Electric Appliances; and I do declare the following to he a full. clear, and exact description of the same, such as uill. enable others skilled in the ar to wl :"h it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical appliances and is particularly designed for the purpose of automatically cutting cit the current connection with the appliance whenever the appliance becomes overheated to such a degree as to render it liable to set a confiagration.

Electric heating irons, toasters, electric motors for vehicles and in fact all electrical heating appliances are sometimes carelessly left. connected with the current and in due time become overheated to such a degree as to render them extremely dangerous and it is the aim of my invention to provide a means to overcome this by breaking the current connection. I

In the-accompanying drawings I show the application of the device to an electric heat ing iron, but of course it may be applied equallyas well to other electrical appliances.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple andinexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly ef fective for the purposes for which it is designed. i

These objects, I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of the parts as will fully'appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

On the drawings, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete electric heating iron with the handle partly broken out and in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the heating iron. Fig. 3 a perspective view of the fusible plug and connecting rod adapted to be connected with the connecting plug controlling member. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a supporting plate attached to the rear endof the heating iron and adapted to receive the rod and plug she-Wu in Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the heating iron and 2 is the heating ring or plate thereon.

The numeral 3 designates the handle of the device, the numeral 4, the plug receiving socket and the numeral 5 is theconnecting plug having the usual wires 6 wrapped around the pin 21 in the usual manner.

My improved device consists first of a suitable band spring 7 secured to the handle 3 as at 8 and lying flush with said handle and shaped to conform to the shape of said handle in order that it will not be in the way during the operation of the iron. This band spring 7 has on its outer end a ring 9 normally alined with the socket 4 and of such shape as topermit the plug to be insertcd therethrough with the ends of the pin 21 normally projecting over said ring. On the outer end of the ring 9 is a projecting teat 10 of any suitable shape flexibly connected with which is a. ring 11 having a downwardly projecting rod 12 provided with an inwardly projecting bent end 13. The said rod 12 normally projects through a slot 1 1 in a curved plate 15 secured to the rear of the iron 1 and a fusible block '16 is secured on the end 13 by means of a hole 17 and this block 16- projects against the heating ring 2 and normally engages the under side of the plate 15 to hold the rod 12 in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1, which holds the spring 7 in normal position in the handle 3. When the ring 2 becomes overheated, the block 16 breaks releasing itself from the bent end 13 and then the force of the spring {7 pulls the rod 12 out of engagement with the slot 14 and up through an open space 20 in theunder side of the plate 15 and through a hole 19 in the top of said plate 15. This action of the spring 7 will also, by reason of the engagement of the ring 9 with the pin 21, pull the plug 5 out of the socket 4, thus breaking the electric circuit and stopping the further heating of the iron. Then another plug 16 may be inserted-0n the bent end 13 and the parts returned to normal position each time, as desired.

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice, such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention What 3 claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the character described comprising the combination with a heating appliance having" a removable plug, of a spring member secured on said appliance, a "ring on said spring men'iber, said ring normally receiving said plug and engaging av' projecting pin on said plug, means for 'holding said spring normally inactive and means for putting said spring member into l i l I l I I l I:

ULYSSES. S. SMITH.

Witnesses H. 5. BIDWELL,

\J. D Burr: AUER.

plug, a slotted member on said ap- 

